Getting started - looking for guidance

Java is not really a good platform for developing VR games. Some people have attempted it, but it's not a great idea.

You should take a look at Unity. It mostly uses C# (though it supports other languages you shouldn't use) and the jump from Java to C# is minor. All the basics are pretty much the same.

Unity has a free version, so just download it and try some of the tutorials.

"cybereality" wrote:
Java is not really a good platform for developing VR games. Some people have attempted it, but it's not a great idea.

Java is a perfectly reasonable platform for developing games. There are open source game engines built around it and it can interact with OpenGL just fine. Minecraft is written in Java.

"jherico" wrote:

"cybereality" wrote:
Java is not really a good platform for developing VR games. Some people have attempted it, but it's not a great idea.

Java is a perfectly reasonable platform for developing games. There are open source game engines built around it and it can interact with OpenGL just fine. Minecraft is written in Java.

Well, it's depend of the game and its purpose.
A game with few 3D effects can be made with Java. But make a game like Minecraft with Java is a very bad idea. My 5years old laptop can not run Minecraft (because it's too heavy) but it can run Crysis 1 with medium graphics! (I'm not sure but Mojang is working on a C++ version (https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/3c615w/mojang_announces_c_version_of_minecraft_for/)).
Most 3D games are written in C++ but it may be very difficult for begginers (memory leaks, etc).
As Cybereality said, I recommend you Unity3d to begin game development. It's very user-friendly. You would learn basic game development concepts before to learn how to code but your games would be enough efficient to run on all hardware.
But if you really want to use Java in your games, I used to develop with this 3D Game Engine: http://jmonkeyengine.org/.
All languages are good but not for everything. (from my experience) ;)

Yes, I understand Java can be used for games, and I know about Minecraft (though that is largely an outlier and not the norm). My point was that a beginner is much better serviced by using something like Unity. Going lower level with Open GL requires more skill and effort, and many Java engines are not as well supported or maintained as the other main options (namely Unity and Unreal).

Not to mention that the Oculus SDK itself is C++, and the official engine support is for Unreal and Unity. So if you want to develop for VR on the Oculus Rift, it is a much better idea to leverage what it currently available and supported well rather than trying to venture out on your own. Though, you are right, it is technically possible to use Java (I just don't think it's a good idea).

"cybereality" wrote:
Going lower level with Open GL requires more skill and effort

That's true, but if you're already skilled in OpenGL or if you're trying to adapt existing code that's in OpenGL or if you're trying to create an open source application, then it's a better path than Unity or Unreal.

"cybereality" wrote:
Not to mention that the Oculus SDK itself is C++, and the official engine support is for Unreal and Unity.

The official SDK API is actually C, not C++, which is important as it makes it much easier to create alternative language bindings. I created a set of Java bindings and assisted in maintaining the Python bindings.

"cybereality" wrote:
So if you want to develop for VR on the Oculus Rift, it is a much better idea to leverage what it currently available and supported well rather than trying to venture out on your own. Though, you are right, it is technically possible to use Java (I just don't think it's a good idea).

I'd suggest that it's better to leverage what you know, and many developers out there already know OpenGL or are more familiar with other languages besides C++. Saying that other platforms might be easier for beginners to learn (which is perfectly reasonable) is quite different from what you originally said...

"cybereality" wrote:
Java is not really a good platform for developing VR games. Some people have attempted it, but it's not a great idea

:roll:

"jherico" wrote:

"cybereality" wrote:
Going lower level with Open GL requires more skill and effort

That's true, but if you're already skilled in OpenGL or if you're trying to adapt existing code that's in OpenGL or if you're trying to create an open source application, then it's a better path than Unity or Unreal.

Jherico do you think cybereality has revealed his stance on how they intend to support open source?

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=27470&p=305277&hilit=fpga#p305277

Here was a developer asking for help on distortiin algorithms and cyber telling him the code was never public, even though it was. Vr for all, or vr for a few? Weird.

"babydoesvr" wrote:
Here was a developer asking for help on distortiin algorithms and cyber telling him the code was never public, even though it was. Vr for all, or vr for a few? Weird.

Well, to be fair, the dk2 distortion algorithm was only exposed for a short time (I believe 0.4 was the only one with it, below that was the dk1 algorithm, after that it was moved to the closed service). I only had a suspicion it was in there because I'd dug through the source (one advantage of not using unreal or unity: I need to actually read the sdk docs and code). If Cyber wasn't the person who wrote it or removed it, I'm not surprised if he didn't know it was exposed at some point.

Kojack are you aware cyber is actually a brilliant programmer? More than just a website forum janitor? (That they underutilized his skills at oculus is shameful) Before he went to the dark side he made an open source driver to breathe vr life into many old games. Vireio. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A6YpZo2678o they had to lock him down before he continued the open source cause that was affecting their closed source ambitions. So while you may think cyber was ignorant to the distortion values in their software and if and when it was released, I dont. Do you really think the original author of Vireio so ignorant? Now his turn to the darkside is complete, actively encouraging the non open source paths in this thread it seems instead of the open source ones. Who can blame him, his paycheck and stock options are now tied to close source paths succeeding. Jherico is fighting a losing battle, you can't bring reason and logic into debates with people's whose paycheck requires otherwise. You talk of fair? Fair would be cyber getting a real promotion he was promised over a year ago, he is skilled beyond so many others here. Palmer is now teaching at some Italian university, can't even code, cyber codes circles around that dunce, but look who is the forum janitor and who is the university professor. Poor cyber :(